IRAQ: SUMMARY OF ITALIAN RECONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY

UNCLAS ROME 004856 SIPDIS STATE EB/IFD/ODF FOR DEMARCELLUS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN IT IZ IRAQI FREEDOM SUBJECT: IRAQ: SUMMARY OF ITALIAN RECONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY REF: A. ROME 4796 ¶B. ROME 355 ¶1. Luigi Maccotta, Deputy Director of the Iraq Task Force at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, provided Econoff with the following summary, in English, of Italian humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Iraq. This document updates a previous summary Maccotta passed to Econoff in January 2004 (ref B). (Note: Post has made some minor edits to improve readability. 1 Euro=$1.33. End note.) ¶2. Begin text: Iraq: Reconstruction and Assistance Projects Financed by Italy The Italian Government has been participating in the Iraqi reconstruction efforts through a number of projects and interventions since the end of the conflict. All together, the funds allocated for reconstruction for the period 2003-2004 roughly amount to 90 million euros, including the ten million channeled through the UNDG Trust Fund. Interventions Financed Through Special Laws For Iraq -------------- -------------- Projects financed through a special Law for Iraq (Law 1 August 2003, n. 219) which established a humanitarian and reconstruction mission. In this framework, the deployment of a military contingent of 3,000 units in Dhi Qar Province and the ongoing assistance to the Iraqi administration offered by a team of about 40 Italian experts working in the CPA, with around 10 now engaged in consulting activities for the Iraqi administration, deserve special mention. Other programs are hereby listed: -Support to Medical City Center Hospital (MCCH) in Baghdad, as phase II of the Italian Red Cross project. This intervention started at the beginning of October with the two goals of 1) assisting the Iraqi population through highly qualified hospital services and 2) providing MCCH staff with equipment technical assistance, and training. (Euro 16 million) -General Plan for Transport (Euro 1.3 million); -"New Eden" Program for the rehabilitation of marshlands between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. This project is implemented and financed by the Italian Ministry for Environment. (Euro 2.5 million) -Program for training of managers in Cultural Heritage. The executing agency for this project is "CRAST" (Centre for Archaeological Research, Turin). (Euro 1.1 million) -Training and technical assistance for local institutions in southern Iraq, particularly in Dhi Qar Province. The executing agency for this project is Formez (Italian Agency for Public Administration Innovation). (Euro one million) -Program for training Iraqi State TV personnel. The executing agency is RAI (Italian State TV). (Euro 400,000) -Media development project in southern Iraqi provinces. (Euro 100,000) -Program for training of personnel in the power generation sector. The executing agency is the Italian private company Lotti & Associates. (Euro 500,000) -Program for training of diplomats of the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (Euro 200,000) -Mine clearing assistance through the Capacity Development Program for Mine Action of the United Nations. (Euro three million: total contribution for 2003 and 2004) -Support to the building of a government intranet network in Iraq as an essential prerequisite for giving operational capability to the Iraqi central government. The executing agency is the Italian Ministry for Innovation and Technology through its agency "Innovazione Italia." (Euro 2,456,000) -Training of Iraqi core trainers and polling staff for January elections. This training is being conducted by a specialized institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna. (Euro 350,000) -Electoral-assistance contribution to the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI),cluster 11 account. (Euro two million) -Program for training journalists and media operators from the province of Basra and Nassiriya and a cultural exchange program for women from southern Iraq. (Euro 15,000) Intervention Financed Under Development Aid Budget -------------- -------------- -Field Hospital of the Italian Red Cross (phase I) from April to September 2003. This intervention has enabled the free-of-charge provision of essential hospital services to cope with post-conflict difficulties. The hospital has assisted more than 13,000 patients, including 400 surgeries. (Euro 6.1 million) -Three humanitarian flights between 2003 and 2004 carrying food, medicine, and various equipment. (Euro 447,000) -Transfer to Iraq of medical drugs donated by the Italian pharmaceutical group Menarini; -Supply of emergency goods for humanitarian interventions (medical drugs, water purifiers, jerricans, kitchen sets) for Dhi Qar Province. (Euro 3.7 million) This intervention supplys equipment and material to restore basic services and improve production in the following sectors: i. Agriculture and irrigation --Rehabilitation of Al Akika regulator of Suk Al Shuyukh; --Provision of agriculture supplies for farmers (fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural tools and machinery, etc.); --Maintenance and supply of equipment for headquarters of Dhi Qar provincial irrigation and agriculture department. ii. Education and social --Supply of basic equipment, furniture and other relevant material, as well as other administrative support, for five primary schools, three orphanages, and the University of Nassiriya. iii. Health --Rehabilitation, supply of health equipment and drugs for Nassiriya's Pediatric Hospital and the Suk Ash Shuyukh Hospital. iv. Water and Sanitation --Supply of material and equipment for water purification and distribution in 30 villages. v. Technical and training assistance --A specific allocation for technical assistance and local training will be provided according to actual needs. vi. Establishment of a logistic base in Nassiriya. Voluntary Contributions for Iraq Via Int. Organizations -------------- -------------- a) UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) (Euro 1.5 million) b) World Food Program (Euro six million) c) World Health Organization (Euro 0.6 million) d) International Committee of the Red Cross (Euro one million) e) Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Euro one million) f) UN Food and Agriculture Organization (Euro five million) g) UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (Euro 0.4 million) h) International Fund Facility for Iraq (UNDP channel) (Euro ten million) End text. SEMBLER NNNN 2004ROME04856 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED